Do you want to chat with a missionary?

Hi I'm David Cook

I work in banking, am raising 3 kids with my wife in Northeast D.C., and I'm a Mormon.

About Me

Copy and Share

My wife and I moved to D.C. a decade ago and are raising 3 children and 2 dogs in the city. We love urban life, but are "urban farmer" wannabes with fruit trees, a vegetable garden, composting, and honeybees (on our rowhome roof) packed into our compact space. My kids are my favorite "hobby"--I try to spend every minute I can with them. I often work out-of-town and try to ensure that I Skype with them and read to them before bedtime no matter where in the world I am. Seeing their sweet little minds learn and hearing their innocent, unvarnished observations about life endlessly fascinates me. I love trying to answer their 1,000's of questions and urging them to make good choices. Weekends are my favorite--when I get to wake them and my wife up with waffles and eggs for breakfast.

Why I am a Mormon

Copy and Share

I love and respect all religions and admire all that live their faith with integrity. But I am a Mormon because the Book of Mormon speaks more powerfully to me than any other book in the world. Together with the Bible, it helps me to better understand our Savior, Jesus Christ, to feel of his love, and to be a kinder, better person. I also love the people in my local church so much. While they (like we all) are imperfect, I am amazed by how generous, kind and loving to me and others they are and by how hard they strive to be better, more Christ-like people. I am also so grateful for the temple. It is a place of quiet meditation and personal revelation that has always helped me to manage any personal challenge and has been a place of personal epiphanies about the plan God has in store for me and my family. I have felt closer to him there, with my wife, than anywhere else in the world.

How I live my faith

Copy and Share

Though I never do it well enough, I try to live my faith by saying "yes" to any opportunity I am given to give to the poor, to visit the sick, and to volunteer my time to those in need. My church extends assignments ("callings") to church members and I made up my mind early on to always say "yes" to anything I've been asked to do. As a result, I've had remarkable enriching experiences getting to know people from walks of life very different from my own. One of my most challenging--and rewarding--assignments was serving for several years as a scout leader to a group of young men who are growing up without many advantages I took for granted growing up. Many of them struggle with poverty and do not have fathers. Though I often stumbled, I tried my best to serve these kids. I grew to love and respect them immensely and I feel God appreciated my efforts. I feel I learned a lot that has helped my to be a more patient and loving father with my own kids. I also feel like I have a better view into how much Heavenly Father loves each one of his children.

God used prophets in the biblical times to relay His message and teach His children. Today, that same God is still calling prohets. Watch this video on why it's important that we have prophets on the earth today.